Retail Stores Ramp up Security for the Holiday Season

Small locally owned stores and national retailers are ramping up security at their brick and mortar storefronts to reduce shoplifting this holiday season. The holiday rush brings an influx of shoppers looking to pick up a gift for a loved one or take advantage of a holiday sale, but the flood of humanity also makes retailers a ripe target for thieves and shoplifters that take advantage of the busy shopping season.

Shoplifting is on the Rise

National larceny crime statistics have steadily increased by 8% since 2009 with spikes in frequency occurring during the holiday months. Recent studies have shown that addiction to drugs has been the motivation behind a large portion of shoplifting with addicts stealing to sell or trade it for drugs. Cities in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Indiana are seeing an enormous surge in drug-motivated shoplifting from their streets being flooded with cheap and easy to find heroin.

Large, “everything under one roof” stores like Walmart lose billions every year to shoplifters because of poor loss prevention programs, lack of employee awareness and training, and a lack of security measures on high value items. There is no doubt that shoplifting costs everyone. Consumers inherently end up paying the price when retailers drive up prices to recoup lost revenue. Small businesses are hurt the most by shoplifting because they don’t always have room in their budgets to afford the expense of additional security and have no choice but to rely on employees to police their stores.

How To Protect Your Store Against Shoplifters

Retailers use a variety of security devices from door security tags that trigger alarms to video surveillance cameras and tethering merchandise to countertops. Having security cameras installed throughout your store is one of the most effective means to deter shoplifting and recoup lost merchandise by providing video evidence of the theft to aid local law enforcement in finding the thief.

If you’re looking to implement a retail video security solution to combat shoplifting in your store, please don’t hesitate to call us at 866-424-9070 for a hassle-free, no obligation retail security quote.